Coarctation of aorta nursing pediatrics NCLEX review (congenital heart disease defect). What is coarctation of the aorta? It's a congenital heart defect where narrowing is present in the aorta. What does the aorta do? It’s the largest artery is the body! It’s a very important structure that comes off of the left ventricle. It carries rich oxygenated blood that has just left the lungs to go to the body via a network of arteries that supply the brain, upper/lower extremities, organs, and tissues. Quick Facts about CoA: In coarctation of the aorta, the narrowing of the aorta tends to occurs AFTER the left subclavian artery, either before or after the ductus arteriosus. There are different types of CoA: Preductal and postductal According to CDC.gov, 1,600 babies in the U.S. are born with this condition each year. It can be diagnosed during a prenatal visit with fetal ultrasound or after birth with an echocardiogram. It’s thought to be caused by the tissue that makes up the ductus arteriosus, which has extended into a section of the aorta. Therefore, when the ductus arteriosus NORMALLY closes a section of the aorta narrows too. Signs and symptoms coarctation of the aorta include: very strong bounding pulses in the upper extremities while absent to diminished pulses are in the lower extremities, hypertension in the upper extremities (more than 20 mmHg when compared to the lower extremities), headaches, heart failure (left side), nose bleeds, systolic heart murmur located on the interscapular region on the left Nursing interventions for coarctation of the aorta include: monitor for heart failure, assess pulses and blood pressure, education about treatment and complications after treatment (restenosis and hypertension) etc. Quiz: http://www.registerednursern.com/coarctation-aorta-nclex-questions/ Notes: http://www.registerednursern.com/coarctation-of-aorta-nclex/ More Congenital heart defect videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pemDBIlOCTs Nursing Gear: null Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RegisteredNurseRNs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/registerednursern_com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NursesRN Subscribe: null Popular Playlists: NCLEX Reviews:    • NCLEX Study Strategies   Fluid & Electrolytes:    • Fluid and Electrolytes Nursing   Nursing Skills:    • Nursing Skills Videos   Nursing School Study Tips:    • Nursing School Study Tips   Nursing School Tips & Questions"    • Nursing School Tips & Questions   Teaching Tutorials:    • Teaching Tutorials   Types of Nursing Specialties:    • Types of Nursing Specialties   Healthcare Salary Information:    • Healthcare Salary Information   New Nurse Tips:    • New Nurse Tips   Nursing Career Help:    • Nursing Career Help   EKG Teaching Tutorials:    • EKG/ECG Interpretation   Dosage & Calculations for Nurses:    • Dosage Calculations Nursing   Diabetes Health Managment:    • Diabetes Health Managment